20 Throwback Billboard Music Awards Looks That Will Make You Scream

Nicole Briese
May 21, 2017

Tonight marks the Billboard

Music Awards (8/7c), and with performers like Miley Cyrus, Lorde, John Legend, and Ed Sheeran set to take the stage, it's sure to be a rocking night, indeed. But even before we're treated to a rendition of Cyrus's new single “Malibu," we'll be watching the red carpet for all of the jaw-dropping style nominees and presenters such as Rihanna, Sia, Ariana Grande, and Lea Michele will be serving up. As we wait for their arrival, here's a peek back at all the fashions of yore that had us in stitches. Happy viewing!

1. Whitney Houston: The legendary late singer was donning head-to-toe red lace on the red carpet long before either OK Go or Lady Gaga

ever dreamed of it — just check out that bodysuit she's working! (Photo via Ron Galella/WireImage/Getty)

2. Shania Twain: Now that she's back in the limelight after an extended absence due to vocal strain, we're dying over this '95 shot of Twain serving up some serious sass in a red crop top and leather pants. (Photo via Ron Galella/WireImage/Getty)

3. Mary J. Blige: Twain wasn’t the only one rocking leather at the ’95 Awards — R&B Queen Mary J. Blige poured herself into a black leather catsuit that could give Catwoman a run for her money. (Photo via Ron Galella/WireImage/Getty)
4. Kathy Griffin: 1997 was a different time: a time when comic Kathy Griffin didn’t have smooth straight locks, and green fur-lined rose duster coats were acceptable red carpet attire. *Shrugs* (Photo via Jim Smeal/WireImage/Getty)
5. Usher: Usher showed up to the 1998 Billboard Awards in a yellow fur coat, a yellow button-up, and yellow trousers besides. Guess he was doing things “his way?” (Photo via Ron Galella/WireImage/Getty)
6. Jennifer Love Hewitt: The mother of two brought the heat at the 1999 awards in a bandeau bra top and an asymmetric maxi slit-to-there. Yowza! (Photo via Jim Schmeal/Getty)
7. Britney Spears: Spears could’ve just as easily been headed to prom in the slinky lilac floor-length number she wore to her very first Billboard Music Awards in 1999, where she cleaned up with (count ‘em!) four wins for Top Female Artist, Top New Artist, Female Album Artist, and Female Hot 100 Artist. (Photo via Steve Grantiz/Getty)
8. Christina Aguilera: Spears’s old-school rival, Christina Aguilera, went another route entirely fashion-wise, keeping it casual in a belly-baring Las Vegas tee and a color-coordinated tied maxi skirt. (Photo via Steve Grantiz/Getty)
9. Mandy Moore: She may be the star of a hit show now as Rebecca in This Is Us nowadays, but in 1999, a fresh-faced blonde Mandy Moore could have been an extra in Clueless with her preppy pink turtleneck and green and yellow plaid skirt. As if! (Photo via Steve Granitz/Getty)
10. Pink: We thought we’d seen Pink in just about every hair color imaginable, but somehow, we missed this rainbow-hued ‘do she donned on the red carpet back in 2000 atop a sheer money dress. (Photo via Jim Smeal/Getty)
11. Mila Kunis: Mila? Is that you? We hardly recognized the Bad Moms actress with her edgy rocker makeup, magenta highlights, and patchwork overcoat seen here. Who knew Ashton’s wife was such a badass? (Photo via Steve Granitz/Getty)
12. *NSYNC: There’s so much to take in from this 2000 shot of boy band *NSYNC: Joey Fatone’s stint as a blonde. JT’s still Ramen-like curls and leather pants. The (excuse our pun) totally in sync hair spikes. Ay yi yi! (Photo via Chris Weeks/Getty)
13. Britney Spears: Making our list for the second time is Miss Britney Spears, for that year she showed up in a wild and crazy orange and pink getup unlike ANY we’d ever seen. (Photo via Chris Weeks/Getty)
14. Jessica Simpson: The Texas fashion mogul got a flashy start on the Billboard style scene in this black minidress with pink flamingo sleeves and black thigh-high boots. (Photo via Chris Weeks/Getty)
15. Nicky Hilton: Paris’s baby sis was SO 2000s in her tiered teal skirt and ruffle sleeve party dress. (Photo via Carlo Allegri/Getty)

16. Celine Dion: No need to adjust your monitors: It's not your eyes playing tricks on you. That's really Celine with a chin-length bleach blonde 'do and side cutouts to put Jennifer Lopez's most naked look to shame. Eat your heart out! (Photo via Rick Soloman/Getty)

17. Nicole Richie: Holy moly! If we didn’t know better, we’d think it was a totally different woman than the one we see on Great News nowadays: Not only does the actress have a totally un-Nicole-like style going on here, but those black skunk-striped highlights are now foreign territory from her typically sleek slicked-back bob. (Photo via Carlo Allegri/Getty)
16. Ashlee Simpson: Barring the plastic surgery that Simpson has publicly copped to, the singer also underwent a total transformation in the hair and fashion departments, going from raven locks to bright blonde and oversized frocks to slimming ensembles. (Photo via Frazer Harrison/Getty)

19. Diana Ross: Long before Rihanna was rocking ruffled Commes des Garçons up to her neck at this year's Met Gala, Diana Ross was donning a similarly wild look at the 2004 Billboard Music Awards in a bold red design that had us sitting up and taking note. (Photo via Kevin Winter/Getty)

20. Ariana Grande: These days, Grande is as sultry as they come in her standard uniform of flared mini skirts and thigh high boots, but back in 2013, she was sugar and spice and everything nice in a black lace teacup dress and an inviting smile. Some things never change, however, and that signature pony appears to be one of ‘em — do you, girl! (Photo via Jason Merritt/Getty)

“Protective” Peter Gallagher Is “So Grateful” Mischa Barton Survived “Toxic Fame”

No matter what kind of day you're having, Marissa Cooper's having a worse one. Mischa Barton's The O.C. character went through the ringer during the first three seasons of the teen drama (remember how she overdosed in Tijuana...and also saw her parents post-hookup after their divorce?).

And during her time on The O.C., Mischa Barton struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. She was arrested for a DUI in 2007 and eventually received involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in 2009 after allegedly threatening to end her own life. And in a new interview, Peter Gallagher (who played Sandy Cohen on the show) says he's "just so grateful" for "the fact that she’s still alive."

  • Mischa Barton starred alongside Peter Gallagher in The O.C. from 2003-2006.
  • The actress has revealed the "trauma" of being a star at that point in her life.
  • Peter recently opened up about how he's thankful "she’s still alive."


Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for FLC/John Lamparski/Getty Images

The O.C. follows Ryan Atwood, who moves in with the Cohens after getting kicked out of his mom's house, and starts a relationship with Marissa shortly after. While Peter Gallagher played Adam Brody's TV dad instead of Mischa's, Sandy was a definitely father figure for Marissa, and it seems like Peter felt that same responsibility off camera.

"I’ve always felt very protective of her," Peter told The Independent. "First fame is toxic. First fame can kill you. She was 16 years old when she started working with us, so just the fact that she’s still alive, I’m just so grateful."

“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life,” Mischa said in a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times. “There’s just a certain amount of trauma [from] all that I went through, particularly in my early twenties, that just doesn’t go away overnight.”

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage revealed that season 1 overdose not only served as a cliffhanger, but gave “network executives an escape hatch on a performer they had been wary about” (via People). But Mischa Barton got her big break, becoming "how people knew the show," and (thankfully) Marissa recovered — only to die after a car crash in season 3.

As hard as that season 3 ending is to watch, Mischa did have the opportunity to watch it with Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke for the first time on their rewatch podcast. "It needed to be a thing, after everything she's been through, but if it's here I'll watch it with you," Mischa says.

"I couldn't do it, Mischa, I couldn't do it," Rachel adds. "But I'm going to do it if you're going to do it."

Mischa says even though being written off the show "was a little bit of a bummer," it wasn't necessarily a surprise. "The character was just doing too much," she told Vanity Fairin 2023. "And I think they ran out of places for her to go. It was not the best thing in the world, [but] there wasn’t much you could do at that point. It was whether she could sail off into the sunset, or die. At that point, I guess it’s better to have the more dramatic ending.”
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See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse and model Barbara Palvin are certainly living the sweet life after tying the knot in Palvin's native Hungary. The couple, who have been together for nearly five years, have always been pretty low-key — except for the occasional and undeniably adorable Instagram post (and a stunning wedding!). We are simply ~obsessed~ with this celebrity couple, especially after they pulled out all the stops for their couple's Halloween costume. Keep scrolling to see some of their best moments :').

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Halloween Couple's Costume!

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For Halloween Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin stunned as the Phantom and Christine from Phantom of the Opera. Dylan wore a mask and a black cape, while Barbara wore a beautiful white dress. While the costume is obviously a nod to the musical, it also totally reminds us of their day as bride and groom.

"In Sleep He Sang to Me," Barbara said in a post, quoting the musical's titular number. "@dylansprouse my forever Phantom."

Who did Dylan Sprouse marry?

www.instagram.com

On the couple's wedding day (July 15, 2023), Barbara wore a Vivienne Westwood wedding gown to celebrate her Hungarian nuptials, bringing together their nearest and dearest for an intimate(-ish) celebration. Barbara and Dylan tied the knot on her parent's property, which conveniently doubles as an event venue, with plans to host an larger wedding in California in the fall.

"This past weekend was supposed to be an intimate event, but we ended up having 115 guests in the end because there are a lot of people we care about, and we wanted them all to be there," Barbara told Vogue.

When did Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin get engaged?

www.instagram.com

Barbara Palvin on Instagram: "♥️"

After months of speculation surrounding the couple's engagement, Dylan and Barbara confirmed their engagement in conversation with Sprouse's twin brother, actor Cole Sprouse, for V Magazine in June, sharing that they got engaged last September.

"We didn't necessarily feel the need to be fully transparent with the public about that aspect of our engagement," Dylan said. "What we wanted to do with Stephen [Gan, V editor-in-chief] and the V team is make something that was kind of tongue-in-cheek about the nature of private versus public. We're playing with the idea of perception."

Barbara noted that the lovebirds wanted to announce the news "on our time," adding, "When some people leaked the information that we got engaged, our PR team was like, 'Hey, so you guys should do maybe a post about it or talk to this magazine or talk to that magazine…' That really annoyed me because I knew we were building this story up. So, I'm very happy that we ended up doing it our way."

When did Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse start dating?

Sean Zanni / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

According to People, the couple met back in 2017 after a party when the Suite Life On Deck star slid into the model’s DMs (and as they say, the rest is history). The duo made their relationship Instagram official back in 2018 with Barbara’s sweet birthday tribute for Dylan’s 26th birthday.

Let’s be real here for a second though, we all knew they were endgame the minute Dylan went above and beyond to support Barbara at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show that same year (remember this viral video?). Three days after the fashion show, the Hungarian model told Vogue Australia that she hadn’t had a boyfriend in six years, but had now found “the perfect guy” in Dylan (we aren’t crying, you are).

How old are Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse?

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Barbara Palvin was born on October 8, 1993, making her 31 years old. Dylan Sprouse was born on August 4, 1992, meaning he's 32 years old. So there's only a one-year age gap between them!

Stay up to date with all of Brit + Co's favorite celebrity relationships. Let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

This post has been updated.

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Elle & Dakota Fanning Will Collab On Apple's 'Margo's Got Money Troubles'

2017's The Beguiled gave us one of the best groups of people of all time: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Sofia Coppola, and Kirsten Dunst just to name a few. And we're finally getting an Elle and Nicole reunion thanks to Apple TV+! "THRILLED to bring @rufithorpe genius hysterical heart-wrenching heartwarming book to your TV screens alongside a dream group of people!" Elle says on Instagram. Rather than having to test the success of its pilot, the series has already been ordered — even though the book it's based on isn't even out yet! Here's everything you need to know about the series.

  • Dakota and Elle Fanning will produce the upcoming Apple TV+ show Margo's Got Money Troubles.
  • The series follows Margo, who signs up for OnlyFans after learning she's pregnant.
  • The cast includes Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman.

Who's in the Margo's Got Money Troubles cast?

Amy Sussman/Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Margo's Got Money Troubles Cast

We couldn't contain our excitement when we learned Margo's Got Money Troubles will star Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, but knowing Michelle Pfeiffer is also joining the cast is too much to bear! This is the first time the actress will collaborate with her husband, TV creator David E. Kelley, so we can't wait to see the magic they'll create (via Deadline).

Nick Offerman from The Last of Us and Parks and Rec will also star.

When is Margo's Got Money Troubles coming out?

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Margo's Got Money Troubles Release Date

We don't have an official release date for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV show yet. I'm thinking if the TV show is in the early stages of planning, we could see it in 2025! Check out all of this year's best New TV Shows to hold you over until then.

What is Margo's Got Money Troubles about?

Amazon

Margo's Got Money Troubles Plot

Margo Millet is the daughter of a Hooter's waitress named Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and an ex-wrestler (via Deadline). She's always had to make it on her own, even though she's not sure how. When she enrolls in her local junior college, she's totally unprepared to get swept up into a torrid love affair with her English professor — or to get pregnant.

Now at 20 years old, Margo needs an income and fast. She decides to experiment with OnlyFans and ends up taking some of her estranged father's advice from the world of wrestling to create a character users will fall in love with. You can order the book now!

What is Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's new TV show?

Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles is coming soon to Apple TV+ thanks to a bunch of different producers. A24 is backing the film, as well as Elle and Dakota Fanning’s production company Lewellen Pictures and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films, to name a few.

What else has Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in?

Focus Features

Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in 2017's The Beguiled. The movie follows John McBurney, an injured Union soldier, who winds up at a female Southern boarding school after deserting the Civil War. But soon, as the women help him, tensions turn to rivalries and friends turn to enemies.

Are you excited for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV reunion? Let us know what other New TV Shows you're watching in the comments.

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This post has been updated.

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